Marin residents cheer Tour of California cyclists in Point Reyes Station

A few hundred spectators lined the streets Sunday in Point Reyes Station to watch professional bicyclists race toward the finish line during the eighth and final day of the prestigious Amgen Tour of California.

The nearly 750-mile race started in Escondido on May 12 and on Sunday wound its way from San Francisco to the Santa Rosa finish line. The cyclists rode across the Golden Gate Bridge and along Highway 101 before exiting onto Highway 101 in Mill Valley. The race continued on Highway 1 until Valley Ford in Sonoma County, where they headed toward Santa Rosa on Occidental Road. The race ended at Third Street and Santa Rosa Avenue in downtown Santa Rosa.

Sixteen teams, with eight riders each, have been competing for the top honor of being the fastest overall rider in the race, which went to Colorado resident Tejay van Garderen.

Throngs of bicyclists made their way from all over Marin County to watch the race, many of them waking up early to ride their own bikes to Point Reyes Station. Shoreline Highway was the site of the fastest race activity in the town, where the only sprint station of the day was set up. A sprint station is a spot where riders cycle as fast as they can to earn points toward winning the best sprinter jersey.

San Rafael resident Roberta Miller stood right by the sprint area in hopes of seeing the action up close. She said the cyclists in these type of races are so fast it's difficult to see them as they fly by.

"If you don't know who you're looking for and the colors they're wearing, you won't see them," Miller said.

She said she loves watching cycling and even went to Paris to watch the Tour de France when the now disgraced Lance Armstrong won his third title there.

The three fastest Tour of California bicyclists of the stretch raced through Point Reyes Station at about 9:40 a.m. to the sound of cow bells, cheering and clapping. The remaining cyclists pedaled through about 10 minutes later. They were followed by a convoy of California Highway Patrol cars, motorcycles, ambulances, a helicopter and cars with numerous replacement bicycles attached to their roofs.

Modesto resident Rick Ahlgren often spends his weekends riding his bike through Marin County. He said it was exciting to see the professional cyclists in action on some of his favorite roads.

"The most impressive thing is it's amazing how much speed they have and the wind that comes with them. It's like they have their own breeze," Ahlgren said.

Alameda resident and cyclist James Burke, who rode to Point Reyes Station from San Francisco, agreed.

"It's really fun, especially when you see how fast and how smooth they are. It's pretty impressive," Burke said.

Nearly two-year-old Fairfax resident Ella Forie, whose third word ever was "bike," was also excited to see the cyclists whoosh by. Sitting on her father's shoulders, she excitedly waved a pink pom-pom. Her mother, Chelsea Forie, said the whole family loved watching the race, as they have family members who are professional cyclists.

Ella's father, Mark Forie, said the best part of the race was watching his daughter's reaction.

"Seeing her love the bikes was great," Mark Forie said.

The race posed an opportunity for cycling enthusiasts to have a destination spot for the day, where they could gather to watch the race and share pointers over mid-morning snacks.

Novato resident Matt Selig and his friend Russell Crotts, also of Novato, were mostly out and about to get some exercise, but did enjoy seeing the sheer strength of the cycling athletes. Selig said he bikes at about 16 mph, but the race professionals go as fast as 28 mph.

"They're animals," Selig said.

Getting one's heart pumping isn't the only reason cyclists said they enjoy being out on the road.

Weekly cyclist Koji Felton, a Larkspur resident, said he enjoys the physical aspect of cycling, but also likes riding with a group of other people about his age.

"It's a good opportunity to find camaraderie," Felton said.

Fairfax resident Michael Angeles said cycling is the best way to see all the beauty Marin County has to offer. He said he started cycling for the exercise, but now also enjoys the peace it brings him.

"For me it's that moment I get out of my head. It's like meditation," Angeles said.